Let Me Count the Ways
by DragonStorm85
Summary: Everyone has secrets that they keep from the world. A series of twenty facts known and maybe unknown about the characters, created from the imagination of me. The first six written for the 20 truths community on LJ, the rest are for my own amusement.
1. Math Lessons

**Character/Pairing/Group**: Sasuke/Tenten  
**Disclaimer/Notes/Whatever**: well of course it's not mine.

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1. Sasuke didn't have his first date until he was about sixteen. The two of them sparred all night. There was no dinner, no movie, and definitely no kiss goodnight. Nothing more than an afternoon of butt kicking and an evening spent with Mr. Icepack when he got home.

2. Tenten was absolutely sorry for having to cancel their date at the last minute and thoroughly apologized for sending Neji to relay the message to him. The Hyuuga prodigy was still pinned to the tree outside of his home when she explained all this to him.

3. She only managed to make it up to him a year later on their ten month anniversary by arriving at his window in the middle of the night wearing a schoolgirl outfit: socks, shoes, pig-tails, and all. Eagerly, Sasuke invites her in.

4. She completely ruins his fantasies by asking if he was ready for Math lessons. He's ready to throw her out the window for teasing him when she promptly starts to strip and asks him to help her multiply.

5. Sasuke has liked math ever since.

6. Tenten is not as innocent as everyone believes.

7. Sasuke now understands fully the extent to Tenten's love of weapons. He is introduced to it every night in the bedroom (and wherever else she fancies to play).

8. A masochist at heart, Sasuke loves it when she plays rough.

9. Being the only father figure in Tenten's life, Sasuke was forced to have "the fatherly talk" with Gai. Afterwards, he was unable to even look at Tenten the rest of the night.

10. Tenten filled all of Gai's special toothpaste with pink dye for that. Sadly, his teeth are still pink to this day. He hides that fact with his growing supply of whiteout.

11. During a momentary break up, Tenten seeks solace in the arms of Shino. Sasuke finds the two of them in bed a month later and promptly asks her to take him back.

12. They got married when they find themselves standing outside of a small chapel, simultaneously thinking, "Why not?"

13. It was immediately annulled three days later when the two of them sobered up.

14. Word got out about the short marriage and for days, Tenten's front lawn was littered with angry fan girls who thought they could take on "that mouse-eared kunoichi bimbo who deflowered my Sasuke-kun."

15. She considered mounting Sakura and Ino on poles to set as examples for future enemies but dismisses it when said kunoichis manage to escape.

16. Sasuke sent a bouquet of kunais to her apartment the next day to thank her for shrinking the size of his fan club.

17. A scandal starts when pictures from Tenten's "private math lesson" somehow get out. Sasuke is still saddened that he lost them in the first place.

18. After threatening to castrate the entire male population of Konoha, Tenten manages to retrieve the pictures. Sasuke allows Shino to keep one. After all, the Uchiha heir has the real thing.

19. Tenten entertained the thought of dying her hair a lighter color. She was afraid that he was getting tired of her curtain of dark tresses.

20. Sasuke calms her insecurities by stating how he always did prefer the darker side of life.

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Sarcasm is so nice isn't it?


	2. Obstacles

**Character/Pairing/Group**: Shino/Tenten  
**Disclaimer/Notes/Whatever**: well of course it's not mine, otherwise these two ould have more of a presence in the show.

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1. Shino uses his bugs as a shield, both on the battlefield and off. After seeing the rejected look in Kiba's face every time Hinata would leave him for the company of the blonde demon carrier of Hidden Leaf, he made a vow to himself never to fall in love. He was content to accept any mate his clan would have chosen for him.

2. It took only one look from Tenten to changed his mind. It was after a mission in which Tenten was assigned to his team. He was utterly spent after using his barricade of insects to protect the squad from enemy attack. He was tired, depleted of chakra, and in an overall bad mood. But it all became worth it when she smiled her thanks and praises at him from across the campsite.

3. Tenten gave Shino his first kiss. Unfortunately, he wasn't awake for it. During a particularly hard mission, an explosion had knocked him unconscious and tossed his lifeless body into a nearby river. Quickly disposing of her enemies, Tenten had rushed into the raging rapids to save the drowning shinobi, never hesitating to give him CPR on the riverbank to revive him.

4. He had awakened after the first minute of Tenten's CPR attempts. The two minutes spent afterwards pretending to be out cold was purely for his own pleasure. (that sneaky little devil)But the relieved hug he received after "waking up" was a nice surprise.

5. Tenten saw Shino's eyes once a long time ago during the Chuunin Exams. There was a speck of dirt on his sunglasses and he had to take them off to clean them. Tenten just happened to be in the bushes nearby looking for stray weapons that fell back there during her training when she came across that sight. They were an amazing shade of hazel not unlike her own.

6. Their first official date was actually a result of Kiba putting in a personal ad for Shino as a joke. Lee in turn answered said ad for Tenten, believing that she was "wasting her youth".

7. Shino was good at keeping his emotions in check. But even Tenten could see the slightly pink tint in his ears every time he would glance at her from under his dark frames. She found his shyness all the more endearing to his quiet character, though she never said a word to him about it.

8. As all of her suitors before her, Shino had to face the judgment of Neji. After hours of staring at each other from opposite sides of the training field, the Hyuuga prodigy mumbled his approval before storming off towards home. No one had withstood his before gaze and he was stunned that Shino was so immune to it.

9. Shino was actually standing there the entire time with his eyes closed, hidden behind his trademark sunglasses as he awaited the beat-down that was to come. He was utterly shocked that the clan prodigy didn't bother using his bloodline limit to make sure. (pttf! and they say he was a genius among geniuses)

10. Unexpectedly, Lee proved to be Shino's biggest obstacle in his pursuit for Tenten's affections. The overprotective taijutsu user insisted that he complete fifty matches against him before he was allowed to continue the relationship with "his youthful flower".

11. For the first time since she was little, Tenten wears a dress at Shino's request. He wants to celebrate surviving fifty rounds against Lee with only a broken arm, a fractured tibia, and a concussion.

12. Tenten saw it more like a farewell celebration because he had fifty more rounds against Gai the next day. She decidedly didn't bother to inform him of that until the night was over.

13. She takes pride in the fact that Shino was able to knock Gai out cold after the tenth round, his motivation being that the taijutsu master had broken his favorite pair of sunglasses. (NEVER mess with the glasses!) She congratulates him in his victory by buying him another pair.

14. The only time Shino takes off his new sunglasses is when he's in the shower. (Yes he wears them to bed, my friends)

15. Tenten first realizes that the bug master is in love with her when he takes off his over sized coat to drape it over her shivering form.

16. She then realizes that she loves him back when she wasn't the slightest bit affected as the bugs inside said jacket started crawling all over her skin.

17. They never have sex during their courtship. Tenten had told him in advance that she wished to wait until she was married before making love for the first time. He respects her beliefs and informs her that he shared that same principle as well.

18. Neither one actually proposed to the other. One night as they were walking around the Aburame compound, the fireflies spelled out the command of "GET MARRIED ALREADY!" which was proceeded by both parties shrugging indifferently and saying "ok."

19. The two get married in a small ceremony on the Uchiha compound. Sasuke was out on a year-long mission and knew nothing of the arrangement. To this day he thinks that the mess he found when he got home was a result of a party Naruto held in his absence.

20. The first time Shino doesn't wear his sunglasses to bed is on his wedding night when Tenten promptly takes them off and tosses them onto the nightstand, followed by other items of clothing and what not.

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They're just so sweet together, don't you think?


	3. Devotion

**Character/Pairing/Group**: Lee/Hinata  
**Disclaimer/Notes/Whatever**: well of course it's not mine. if it were, these two would SO be together.

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1. Hinata actually saw Lee for the first time at the Academy. She was making the costumes for a school play in which he was to play a part in. His costume was the first one she finished.

2. Lee played an apple in that play, annoying the rest of the cast along with the teacher by repeatedly shouting "An apple a day keeps the doctor away. Take care of those pearly whites, and your youthful spirit will be alright!" (do I detect some of Gai's influence in that little rhyme?) It was the first time Hinata remembers laughing in public.

3. Hinata's favorite color is actually green. It has been so ever since she saw the beautiful jade necklace belonging to her mother. But with the monotone coloration of her home environment as well as her own fear of standing out too much from her unadorned family, she steers away from the brightly vibrant color.

4. Lee's favorite color is actually purple. It perfectly represents the nobility of his character and chivalrous nature. But the love and devotion that he has for his teacher far out weighs his own desires. So he settles for imitation instead of preference.

5. They share their first kiss at a Hyuuga Christmas party. It was the year that Team Gai had been put together and Hiashi wanted to assess the people that his nephew would have to rely on during their missions. After brief introductions, the two discovered that they were standing under a mistletoe. With a scratch of the head and a shuffle of their feet, they shyly indulge in the tradition of the season.

6. Lee spent the rest of the night running away from an angry Neji.

7. Hinata spent the rest of the night chasing after an angry Neji, stuttering an explanation the entire time.

8. Lee was actually rooting for Hinata to win during her match against Neji. The last thing that he wanted was another reason for the Hyuuga prodigy to hold on to his superior attitude.

9. When Naruto left for his training with Jiraiya, Hinata wasn't as sad a people thought. After years of unrequited love, her long time crush on the blonde demon carrier had slowly disappeared. She only continued her quiet pursuit out of habit.

10. The two can attribute the start of their relationship to Shikamaru. Had he not stolen the heart of the pink-haired kunoichi, the young Green Beast of Konoha would have never noticed the beautiful Hyuuga heir.

11. Lee actually won a match against Neji once (though the Hyuuga prodigy has sworn him to secrecy). Upon hearing about their budding relationship, Neji stated that they could go no further unless the taijutsu user could beat him in a fight. Motivated by his growing affection for the Hyuuga heiress, Lee fought ceaselessly until Neji lost from exhaustion.

12. Their first date was planned by Tenten. Finding himself nervous beyond hope, Lee enlisted the help of the older kunoichi thinking that she would have more experience. They ended up making sandwiches and having a moonlight picnic in the park after Tenten burnt dinner because she was too busy talking on the phone with Sasuke.

13. The two had sex for the first time during a year long mission to the mountains of Hidden Cloud. The two stripped down to the barest of clothing and spent the night under several layers of blankets in each other's arms after an avalanche left them with no supplies. Touched that he was such a gentlemen to her, Hinata asked Lee to make love to her the next morning.

14. Hinata became pregnant because of that.

15. She lost the baby three month later during another mission to Hidden Mist. The entire village is still undergoing repairs from what Lee did to it when he found out.

16. The Hyuuga Council disapproves of their relationship. Hinata is asked to break off the courtship and strongly encouraged to find a more suitable person in her same social class.

17. To the dismay of both parties, Hinata and Lee did break up for a little while. During that time, Naruto had returned from his training. Lee was heartbroken when he found the two of them out on what appears to be a date at Ichiraku. Lee runs away while Hinata tearfully tries to explain.

18. They don't speak to each other for months until their teams are assigned to train together. The two are left alone when Tenten sneaks away with Shino (she and Sasuke have broken up for a brief moment) and Kiba challenges Neji to a spar. They sit there in awkward silence until training is over.

19. After a week of sitting in silence during training, the tension is finally broken when they decide to "kiss and make up" by going on another mission to the mountains of Hidden Cloud (courtesy of the blonde Hokage in-training -winky-). They spend three months more than necessary there.

20. The Hyuuga Council still disapproves of the two and is greatly disappointed with the heiress. Hinata then chooses that moment to finally speak out against their ruling by telling them to "shove it up their Byakugan".

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-squeals like a school girl- they're so adorable!


	4. A Not So Dangerous Game

**Character/Pairing/Group**: Sasuke/Tenten  
**Disclaimer/Notes/Whatever**: well of course it's not mine. Kishi-sama would never have this smut in his show. it would be presented in an upbeat and comical way instead.

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He blocked the blow with ease. But one quick swipe from an unexpected angle rendered him weaponless, the clang of the metal hitting the floor echoing through the empty temple. With a irritated growl, he took on a defensive fighting stance.

Fact 1: Sasuke hated to lose.

Even though she held a recently sharpened kunai in her hand, poised and ready to strike at any given moment, he was still confident in his skill. She raised her brow at his determined nature, pleased at seeing it. His pride was always admirable in her eyes. Plus it always made sparring between the two of them all the more interesting.

Fact 2: Tenten loved the challenge.

Tossing away the throwing knife in her hands, Tenten took on the same fighting stance. Both exchanged a smirk of understanding before engaging in the routine the two had developed. She started with a kick to his head, missing like always.

Fact 3: Nostalgia always prompted her to use the same opening move once they moved to the hand to hand combat portion of their sessions.

With her initial attack failing as planned, she started boxing her way closer to him, looking for a break in his defenses. Sasuke moved to grab her fisted hands in order to keep them from taking off his head, briefly faltering at the contact.

Fact 4: After years of isolation, he still hadn't gotten used to human contact.

Ignoring the slight hesitations in his moves, she twisted out of the reach of his hands. Not bothering to wait for him to prepare, she wasted no time in striking. The blow landed squarely on his chest, knocking him back a few steps.

Fact 5: Tenten loved using the element of surprise.

She was about to move in for another bout of boxing when she spotted a small stain on his shirt that was growing by the second. Curiously, she looked up at his face and saw the small dribble of blood streaming out the side of his mouth. He mentally slapped himself for letting her see.

Fact 6: He never wanted her to see him weakened.

Wordlessly, she abandoned her fighting stance and quickly strolled over to the first aid kit she had tossed aside when the match started. Despite his protest, she insisted on having it brought out every time they met under the cover of night.

Fact 7: They were getting more aggressive with every spar.

She stood before him, quietly waiting for him to cooperate. Sasuke glared at her, sending with it his rebellions response. Not in the mood to deal with his resistance tonight, she quickly but gently prodded the stain on his shirt. He winced at the instant pain that greeted him. Feeling her point, he tiredly seated himself on the hard marbled floor, secretly smirking in the shadows.

Fact 8: A masochist at heart, Sasuke loved it when she played rough.

As she prepared the bandages, Sasuke silently slipped off his bloodied shirt. His paled skin glowed under the celestial light of the moon as it streamed through the open windows of the temple. Examining his torn shirt, he was forced to admit that she was improving quicker than he had expected.

Fact 9: The first time he had agreed to spar against her was out of pity.

He hadn't planned on meeting with her again. When she had been defeated so easily that night, he had vowed never to battle against her again. But that had been over a year ago.

Fact 10: The first moment she was able to find an opening in his stance, he found himself addicted to her.

A sharp pain on his side brought the shinobi back to the darkened reality of the room. The bandages were already wrapped snuggly around his torso, tied tightly so that they wouldn't unravel at his movements. Quietly, she made her last inspections of the wound, her slender fingers lingering longer than necessary.

Fact 11: Sasuke wasn't the only one that was addicted to this arrangement.

When she had first asked him for a spar, she had no intention of it becoming nothing more than a simple battle between two strangers. But after the first defeat, she found that she liked how his style of combat tested her own. It allowed her to shy away from her overuse of weapons and permitted her to indulge in her true passion.

Fact 12: Tenten preferred close hand to hand combat over the blatant clash of weaponry.

She enjoyed the way his blows would sweep past her as she twisted and turned to dodge them. She found pleasure in the way her own attempts would graze across his skin as he maneuvered out of the way of her attacks. It was seductive dance that only shinobis could understand, a dangerous dance of wills that only the two of them could appreciate.

Fact 13: Tenten loved being the only girl in the village that was able to get that close to him without irritating him.

The two sat there under the shadow of the temple, each taking some time to calm down from their intense battle. The night wind blew through the open windows, cooling the sweat on their heated bodies. She glanced up at him with a wordless question that he merely smirked at.

Fact 14: Tenten always got impatient when their sparring was cut short.

Ignoring her eagerness for the moment, he looked over her smaller form as she absentmindedly looked around at the scattered pieces of their fight. It was then that he saw the thin red line across her cheek, telling him that he did manage to land a blow on her tonight. Mutely, he reached out to caress her marked cheek, standing as a symbol of ownership. She was his nightly sparring partner and no one else's.

Fact 15: Sasuke was very possessive.

Their eyes locked on each other for only a second before he pulled her in for a kiss. Hungrily, both indulged in their passions as he slowly pushed her back to lay on the cold floor. She forgot her inhibitions as she allowed his hands to roam over her form with sinful lust, reveling in the feeling of his fingers slipping up her shirt.

Fact 16: His touch was the greatest sin she was willing to submit to.

With her urgings, he willingly rolled onto his back, never losing the contact of her lips on his own. Routinely he reached up and unbound her hair from the two buns that sat on top of her head, draping the both of them in her dark tresses. It was a curtain of shadow that contrasted perfectly to the light blonde and pink of his two greatest pursuers.

Fact 17: Sasuke always did prefer the darker side of life.

He gasped in shock when her hand slipped down to the front of his pants, lightly squeezing his one desire. Unable to think straight because of the distraction, he could only stare up at her knowing smirk of amusement.

Fact 18: Tenten wasn't as innocent as everyone believed.

He met her smug gaze with one of his own, confidently sliding his hand a little higher along her spine. She shivered under the slow torture of his talented digits, prepared to satisfy more of her own sadistic needs. But the moment was interrupted when the sun's rays peeked into the private walls of the Uchiha temple. Dawn had arrived, bringing with it their disappointment.

Fact 19: They both had agreed that their game could never see the light of day.

Reluctantly they parted, each reprimanding themselves for taking to long with the nightly foreplay. He remained sitting on the ground as she gathered her things to leave. Before stepping out of the tranquil atmosphere of the temple, she looked back at him. Their eyes met once more in a formal understanding.

Fact 20: They both knew they would end up doing this again tonight.

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Is it hot in here or is it just me? Ah, sexual tention. Tis a sweet thing.


	5. A Moment in Time

**Character/Pairing/Group**: Shino/Tenten  
**Disclaimer/Notes/Whatever**: well of course it's not mine, otherwise these two would have more of a presence in the show.

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He sighed tiredly as his army of bugs retracted back into the shadows of his jacket. Training was extra intense today, indicated by the sweat glistening on his brows. But that didn't bother him much.

Fact 1: Shino rather enjoyed the hard training Kurenai had assigned his team.

With that in mind, he looked around the training grounds for said team only to find them gone, no doubt taking another break to explore the village. With a shrug he ignored their neglect for training. After all, neither of them were fighting in the Main Matches.

Fact 2: Though thoroughly disappointed that the rest of his team didn't make it to the final rounds, Shino was a little envious of the free time they would have until the Exams were over.

His brows furrowed together for a moment as he took into consideration as all the pressure began to build. As the only member of his team that managed to make it this far in the tournament, they were counting on him to succeed.

Fact 3: Despite his outward appearance of indifference, Shino didn't want to let his team down.

With a sigh, he recalled how excited Hinata and Kiba were when he had managed to win his preliminary match against the guy from Hidden Sound. After scanning the area to make sure he was alone, Shino allowed himself a small, invisible smile formed at the thought.

Fact 4: Deep down, he was happy for their unending support.

But despite all that, he still refused to show such emotions to anyone outside of his own clan of insect manipulators. He had seen what such emotions had done to his teammate every time Hinata would unintentionally ignore Kiba's attempts.

Fact 5: because of that, the young Abuarme had made a vow to himself never to fall in love and to just accept whatever mate his clan would choose for him.

Of course, just because he refused to put his heart on the line like that didn't mean that Shino was without emotions. Like everyone else in the world, the bug master could feel happiness and grief as well as anger and most of all, love. He frowned at the thought as sharp pang in his heart reminded the young Aburame heir of his one and only weakness.

Fact 6: Unbeknownst to anyone, Shino had been harboring a secret crush since his years in the Academy.

He wasn't sure when the infatuation had begun, only that it remained still. It was because of his strange affections towards the unknowing kunoichi that the clan genius had pretended for years to be inadequate in math.

Fact 7: The girl of his dreams was an excellent mathematician and had tutored students in the subject until she graduated.

Lost in his thoughts, Shino didn't notice Tenten searching through the brush for her stray weapons not too far away. While training with her teammate, the kunoichi had launched a barrage of shurikens with a little too much force.

Fact 8: Tenten was still a little angered that she had allowed Temari to eliminate her so easily during the prelims.

The results of such an attack was the sharp stars being launched with great speed a far distance when they were deflected by the Neji's Kaiten. Noticing her unfocused attention, Neji had immediately stopped the training session.

Fact 9: His harsh reprimands still rung in the kunoichi's ears like all the other words that had ever been spoken against her.

It was with that bitter memory in mind that Tenten had pushed away her doubts and continued her search for the lost weapons. She wanted to get back to training so that she could start to prove herself once again after her humiliating defeat at the hands of the girl from the Wind Country.

Fact 10: She took much pride in her skill and had been more effected than anyone else realized by that minor setback.

Even after the Hyuuga prodigy left her to train alone, Tenten vowed to continue on without him. Solo training sessions stretching into the long hours of the night were how things were before she had been assigned to a team and she was not afraid to return to such days.

Fact 11: After spending years in such a way as an orphan and ward of the village, it became an odd form of comfort for her.

It was because of her isolated tendencies that the kunoichi had neglected all other aspects of her life, including friends and love. But despite her efforts of keeping such human needs away, she still found small exceptions.

Fact 12: When she was younger, Tenten was able to find some joy in her tutoring job at the Academy.

A rustle from the clearing ahead of her broke through her quiet thoughts. Glancing through the trees for whatever could have made the noise that startled her, Tenten caught a glint of light reflecting off what appeared to be dark glasses. A smile formed on her lips as she saw the not so unfamiliar face before her.

Fact 13: After all, Tenten had been the young Shino Aburame's math tutor for the majority of his Academy days.

He appeared to have changed little since she last saw him, looking as dark and mysterious as he had always appeared as he was bathed in the light of the morning sun. He seemed to her like an angel, fallen from heaven to grace the earth with his knowledge and beauty.

Fact 14: Ironically, Shino was thinking the same thing about the image of her he had in his mind.

Brushing those old memories away, the bug master returned to the day of training before him. He was about to resume his exercises when a small speck of dirt caught his eye. It was on the outer edge of his sunglasses and would have went unnoticed to anyone else, but the insect manipulator was accustomed to observing such tiny details.

Fact 15: Tenten observed that he regarded his insects with the same attention to small detail.

As he went to remove his shaded spectacles, Tenten watched curiously from where she stood behind the trunk of a nearby tree. Shino was already an attractive young man in her eyes, but the older girl couldn't deny the anxious feeling growing in the pit of her stomach at this new prospect.

Fact 16: Most of the village had ever seen Shino's eyes and Tenten was intrigued to see what he was hiding.

There was a bit of relief of pressure as the young insect master cleaned his glasses of the offending dirt. Tenten watched in awe as the once mysterious eyes sparkled in the sunlight.

Fact 17: His eyes were an amazing shade of hazel not unlike her own.

They were beautiful to say the least and made the young Aburame all the more handsome for it. Tenten were so mesmerized by them that she failed to notice that she had been spotted until Shino turned his entire body to face her. Shock was written on his face as well.

Fact 18: No one had ever snuck up and taken him off guard like that before.

But despite his alarm, Shino couldn't help but be enamored by the kunoichi's own beauty. Without the dark shading of his glasses to obscure his vision of the world, the bug master was finally able to see the true loveliness of his goddess.

Fact 19: He would gladly look upon her like this anytime.

Tenten was the first to recover from the shock as the young Aburame's facial features visibly softened towards her. She could feel a light blush on her cheeks at the unexpected attention. Knowing no other way of escaping from such a situation she nodded in his direction and quietly left.

Fact 20: As she left the area, she vowed to herself to see those eyes again no matter what it took.

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I was having a hard time wrapping this one up. Appologies if it wasn't done well.


	6. Against the Odds

**Character/Pairing/Group**: Lee/Hinata  
**Disclaimer/Notes/Whatever**: well of course it's not mine.

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A bead of sweat trickled down his face as he prepared to face the battle at hand. But even with his unending confidence and Team Gai by his side, the shinobi still found himself a bit nervous at the outcome of this encounter.

Fact 1: This was the hardest thing Lee had ever had to do.

The head of the clan quietly offered him some tea to drink. The younger man politely declined the offer, unable to ingest any sort of food or beverage because of the nervous churning in his stomach. He had a daunting task ahead of him and needed to be clear of mind in order to see things through.

Fact 2: Lee knew how particular Hiashi was about who his daughter courted.

The head of the Hyuuga clan would undoubtedly be relentless in proving that the young taijutsu user was unworthy of Hinata's affections. She was the heir to a prominent clan in Konoha and her chosen suitor had to meet the high standards of the Hyuuga Council.

Fact 3: Hinata never liked the Hyuuga Council, finding their rulings closed-minded and self-serving.

Hinata knew that all her father wanted for her was the unending happiness he himself had shared with her mother before she died. She also understood that he could not openly express this to her because of the pressure he always got from the family advisors to do what was profitable for the clan.

Fact 4: She had always blamed the Council for the estranged relationship that existed between them.

She was brought back to the reality of the meeting by a comforting arm. With an assuring smile, he slowly took her away from those dark thoughts. He resisted the urge to sigh his relief when she smiled so lovingly back at him.

Fact 5: Lee had seen what hatred for the clan had done to his teammate and vowed never to let that happen to his flower.

Returning to the discussion at hand, he listened quietly as his teacher spoke in his defense. Quietly sitting not too far away were his teammates Tenten and Neji, giving him their silent support. Being an orphan, they were the most precious people in his life. So when Hiashi asked their families to meet, they were the most obvious choice to stand in as his family.

Fact 6: Team Gai was his family, through and through.

Seeing the pride in Lee's face as he glanced at his teammates, Hinata couldn't help but smile as well. Glancing at Neji, she was met with his own pupil-less eyes as the two shared a moment of understanding.

Fact 7: Everyone had been utterly shocked when the prodigy had align himself with and outsider instead of the clan, but Hinata was thankful all the same.

Her eyes moved to Tenten and her companion, their hands entwined in the most loving of ways. Hinata was especially grateful for the presence of Tenten and Shino. After all, Tenten had to face the harsh judgment of the Aburame clan not too long ago. Then again, the Aburame clan could not have been so unyielding as her own.

Fact 8: For that, Hinata was greatly jealous of her teammate and his chosen companion.

All eyes turned to Gai when he slammed his fist on the coffee table. During all her musing, the conversation between the taijutsu master and her father had escalated to a heated argument about Lee's merit in being suitable to court the Hyuuga heir. Lee was instantly by his teacher's side, nervously attempting to calm the taijutsu master anyway he could.

Fact 9: He had never seen Gai so angered before and it unnerved him greatly.

Silently both adults agreed to take their conversation to another room for the sake of the young shinobis present. But though their harsh words to each other would be muffled behind the thick walls of Hiashi's study, that did little to ease the anxiety growing in Lee's heart.

Fact 10: Once again Hinata felt helpless to help those she cared about.

As she lowered her head in shame, Lee caught sight of this and quietly assured her that she had no reasons to feel so downhearted. With a quick thumbs up from his infamously imitated pose, Lee had the young heiress smiling once again. Seeing the happy upturn of her mouth, the taijutsu user felt his heart warm with her smile.

Fact 11: He adored every moment that her smile graced the world with its presence.

But the smile didn't remain for long as the raised voices of Hiashi and Gai floated from behind closed doors. Though she was aware that the subject they were discussing called for opposing point of views, all the shouting still unsettled her. Suddenly, the heiress stood up from her seat and fled the room.

Fact 12: She hated when people argued. It reminded Hinata of the argument between her father and uncle the day Hizashi finally chose to defy his destiny.

Unsure as to what to do, Lee turned towards with the intent of asking for their advice only to find himself on the receiving end of three death glares. Taking them as a sign, the green-clad shinobi took his leave and ran after the young heiress.

Fact 13: It still amazed him to this day that he could have such a wonderful relationship despite how little he knew about maintaining one.

With all the speed that he could muster, the taijutsu master in training searched the usually empty halls of the Hyuuga compound for any sign of the delicate flower of his heart. He was in the midst of considering taking off his weights when a glow of purple from a nearby window stole his attention. That's when he spotted Hinata sitting at the koi pond in the yard, her purple tinted hair shining in the sunlight.

Fact 14: In seeing this, Lee remembered how Hinata had once told him how much she loved watching the fish swim around in the tiny pools.

Despite the obvious tears streaming down her rosy cheeks, the young heiress seemed peaceful and calm. Afraid that he would get lost in the maze of the Hyuuga home like he had done on many occasions, the Green Beast of Konoha hopped out of the window on a mission to rid her of said tears.

Fact 15: The last time he had visited the clan's home, Lee had vanished for hours and a search party had to be sent to find him.

Pushing those memories to the back of his mind and out of his thoughts, Lee focused on helping his damsel in distress. When he could find no solution to the problem, he simply stood there in defeat. Hinata didn't seem all too surprised when her green knight quietly appeared beside her.

Fact 16: Because of her insecurities Hinata was a natural follower. She kept her Byukagan activated because she could never make herself believe that anyone, let alone him, would be willing to follow her.

A new tear made another wet trail down her pale cheek as Lee silently sat beside her on the bench. Tiredly he rubbed his eyes in frustration as the stress of the day finally started taking its toll.

Fact 17: Hinata was the only one in the village who knew that even Lee's optimism had it's limits.

After his moment of doubt passed the taijutsu master in training turned his full attention towards the heiress, a toothless grin in the place of his usually blinding smile. In seeing another tear escape from her closed eyes, he leaned in and kissed the wet trail away.

Fact 18: Lee always took note of the fact that her tears had a much sweeter taste to them than regular tears.

Slowly opening her eyes and turning towards him, she smiled at the sweet gesture. Both shared a sweet moment of calm silence before the faint shouts of their elders brought them back to the reality of the situation.

Fact 19: They both knew the likelihood of the Hyuuga Clan approving of their relationship was small.

With that realization in mind Lee reached out and gently pulled Hinata closer to him, kissing her forehead in a caring manner. In return, the young clan princess clung tightly to her green-knight in both reassurance and defiance.

Fact 20: No matter what the outcome they both knew how much they cared about each other and that's all that mattered.

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-tear- fate may not guide her life, but the Hyuuga Council definately does.


	7. What's In A Name

**Character/Pairing/Group**: Tenten  
**Disclaimer/Notes/Whatever**: A little crossover action going on. Shaman King and Naruto aren't mine, of course.

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1. Contrary to popular belief Tenten doesn't have a last name, not anymore. She had gotten rid of it long ago when she decided to cut all ties with her former family. All records concerning her connection to said family have since disappeared.

2. She is perfectly content with being known as simply "Tenten", glad to have no more dealings with family politics and clan rules of conduct. She was a free spirit after all and could not be held down by their strict guidelines.

3. She cringes every time Neji and Sasuke would get into heated verbal battles over which of their families were the best (back when the Uchiha clan was still living, that is). It was the prideful nature of her own forgotten family that ultimately forced her to run away.

4. There was only one person in the village who knew of the kunoichi's shady past. She swore him to secrecy the first day that they met, upon pain of death if ever the truth came out. He has since taken her secret to the grave.

5. During those lonely nights of training under the moonlight, her spiritual companions were her only friends. They were the only part of her past that she simply could not let go of.

6. Tenten had been caught several times talking to these friends which no one else could see. Never one to concern herself with reputations, she nonchalantly stated that she was simply talking to the voices in her head with a smile of course.

7. Never did she believe she was safe. Tenten knew her family constantly searched for her, even after ten years of absence. Their prideful nature would never allow them to give up until she was found.

8. She was on a mission in Hidden Cloud when the family mercenaries finally found and captured her. She didn't seem at all surprised when her cousin Ren stepped out from behind his Kyonshi guards to face her. After all, he was to be the leader of the Shamanic family one day.

9. Her team simply thought they were Cloud spies working to stop their mission from succeeding. So while the kunoichi was being dragged back to the mountains of China, Neji and Lee were storming Hidden Cloud in search of their teammate.

10. Tenten and Ren had spent a majority of the trip staring at each other in silence, finding no reason for words. Tenten had been a little shocked at seeing the hint of sadness she saw in his golden eyes, but chose not to say a word about it.

11. He had answered her unspoken question, simply stating, "Someone should have been allowed to escape."

12. The night she arrived to the clan mansion, the kunoichi was confined to her room. Only hours later while the estate became the main target of a monstrous storm, Tetnen received a visit from her Aunt Ran who stayed the night for the matriarch's own benefit and guilt.

13. En surprised them all when Tenten was merely ordered never to come back to the mansion. "Punishing one who is no longer considered part of the family is pointless," were the words the domineering man had used.

14. To the Taos, exile from the clan was considered worse than death. Even Tenten felt a faint twinge of shame as she left the hidden valley that had been home to the Taos for generations.

15. When she got back to Hidden Cloud, the kunoichi found her team on the steps of the ancient temple deep in thought. The peaceful atmosphere was ruined seconds later when Lee screamed with joy at seeing "the flower of our team" back safe and sound.

16. When asked where she had been, Tenten simply said, "I was dealing with a problem" hoping that they would assume she was talking about the Cloud-nins and their mission. They did.

17. Tenten's spirit friends noticed a change in the young kunoichi when she returned to Konoha. She was more solemn and quiet than before, reminding them of the Uchiha boy who constantly cursed the heavens at their doorstep. Tenten merely smiled and told them, "Why not? He and I are more alike now after all."

18. She only had one encounter with her former family after her initial capture. Tenten had been training under the light of the full moon again when the golden eyes of her cousin appeared from the shadows. The two had stood there on the darkened field for what seemed like hours just staring into each other's glowing eyes.

19. "You will always be a Tao to me, no matter what you do," was all that he had said to her before disappearing into the shadows once more.

20. "So will you," was her only reply, whispered to the creatures of the night.

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She would make a great Tao clan member don't you think? I tell you, that is one kick azz family.


	8. Troublesome Secrets

**Character/Pairing/Group**: Shikamaru/Sakura  
**Disclaimer/Notes/Whatever**: well of course it's not mine.

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1. Shikamaru had been the first in his age group to become a Chuunin. During the exams and matches, the Nara genius had been the only one to show a Chuunin level mindset.

2. Sakura had secretly been jealous of him. Though she was smart in her own right, she lacked the drive and motivation to form such calculated plans in such a short time. She was easily distracted by outside forces (-cough- Sasuke -cough-).

3. After Sasuke defected over to Sound and Naruto left for his training, the pink-haired kunoichi sought out the aid of the shadow user. Without a team, she had to seek aid from other sources in order to become a reliable and dependable agent of the Leaf.

4. She had asked Ino's permission beforehand to make sure there would be no misunderstandings. Ino had no problems with the idea and even went as far as to say, "You can keep him for all I care."

5. Shikamaru agreed to help willingly, stating that her presence was better than being around Ino, especially during "that time of the month".

6. Secretly, the young Nara was glad to having anything that would keep him from having to take Chuunin missions. The added bonus of being with someone less than loud was just an added bonus.

7. There were awkward moments between the two at first simply because neither had known the other well enough to avoid such situations. The two would often spend entire afternoons in perfect silence.

8. Both weren't really bothered with being nonverbal with each other for such a long period of time, secretly content with just being able to spend time with each other without interruptions.

9. Their affections for the other became apparent when Shikamaru rescued Sakura from having to turn down a rambunctious Lee for the millionth time. She simply didn't have the heart to tell him no again and Shikamaru couldn't ignore the small pang of jealousy in his heart at the possibility of her saying yes.

10. If asked, Shikamaru will deny ever saving her from the taijutsu user out of jealousy. His simple explanation was that he was growing weary of the green-clad shinobi's persistent pursuit of the uninterested medic-nin.

11. Sakura knew better than to believe that load of crap (though she never said so to Shikamaru). She was flattered all the same.

12. Neither had agreed to start seeing each other. It was just mutually understood that they couldn't see anyone else. They were content to leave the matter at that.

13. Shino and Tenten had been the only ones in the entire village to know of their relationship, the reason being that both had caught the Haruno and Nara cuddling in the forest while they were on their way to a secret rendezvous of their own.

14. Both couples had an arrangement to keep each other's relationships a secret and would often "double date" under the guise of mission briefings.

15. Their relationship wasn't discovered until a year later simply because their "dates" consisted of the normal daily routine of training with the added change of having lunch together in the hospital cafeteria. After their run-in with the insect master and temptress of steel, both became cautious and agreed to leave things unchanged for the time being.

16. They were only discovered when Naruto caught them holding hands while walking down what they thought were the empty halls of the ICU. The entire village found out about it only minutes later.

17. Sakura chose that moment to show Naruto exactly what she had learned while under the care of Tsunade's teachings, but not before Shikamaru bounded him in his Shadow Copy Technique to keep the demon vessel from running away.

18. They later sent a month's supply of instant ramen to the blonde shinobi as an apology and a thank you gift. "Hiding it was starting to get troublesome, anyways," was what Shikamaru had written on the small note card.

19. Sakura had the shadow user on the head when she saw what he had written, screaming, "It was your idea to hide it in the first place."

20. She later apologized when she had enough time to calm down and even kissed it to make it feel better. This act alone brought a smile to the Nara's face.

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I hope I got that right.


	9. Breezy Disputes

**Character/Pairing/Group**: Sasuke/Tenten  
**Disclaimer/Notes/Whatever**: well of course it's not mine.

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1. Sasuke first spoke to Tenten during Chuunin Exam when they were all waiting for the first round to begin. Though he had taken an interest in the weapon specialist, her seemingly complete devotion to the Hyuuga was a complete turn-off.

2. Tenten first met Temari in the stadium bathroom after the second round of the Chuunin Exams. Though she respected the strength this girl from Sand possessed, the snobbish attitude she had towards those of the Leaf was annoying.

3. Temari had first seen Sasuke during his prelim match against Akadou Yoroi. Though she was impressed with the way he fought, she was disgusted by the way he lashed out at his teammates. Even with someone as unstable as Gaara, her team still managed to work together.

4. Unbeknownst to anyone else, Tenten had been the last person to see Sasuke before he left on his secret mission to train with Kakashi. She actually caught him in the middle of jumping out the window of his hospital room.

5. The two had stood for a few minutes staring at each other before nodding their goodbyes, Tenten smiling her encouragements. The kunoichi understood that he needed to this in order to advance his skills. If she couldn't make it to the final rounds, she hoped that he would be able to.

6. When Sasuke made the decision to defect to the Sound, Tenten wasn't really sure how to feel about it. Temari had suspected such a thing to happen but was still in awe that anyone could leave their own village for the sake of power.

7. Despite her obvious grudge she held for the sand-kunoichi, Tenten couldn't help but respect the older girl for her sheer strength as an agent of the Sand. It was always a quick reminder of how far she still had yet to go in her own training.

8. Determined to grow as a shinobi, Tenten applied for a mission as ambassador to the Village of Hidden Sand. With the former unstable Gaara stepping up to become the new Kazekage, Tsunade was willing to send one of her own shinobis, but was reluctant to give the job to Tenten.

9. It had only taken a word of reason from Temari to finally convince the Fifth Hokage to agree to the request. The older girl from Suna understood the need to become better, and from then on held a small ideal of respect for Tenten.

10. Soon after coming to the Hidden Sand Village and starting her training with Temari, Tenten found herself in a very complicated…situation when she started developing feelings for the sand-kunoichi.

11. Needless to say, Temari did well to uncomplicated things for her with a simple kiss…which lead to several others.

12. Only weeks after their relationship started, the Village of Hidden Sand was rocked to the core with the sudden re-appearance of one Uchiha Sasuke.

13. Familiar with their own fair share of dark and hidden secrets, Tenten and the sand siblings asked no questions when he came to live with them.

14. There was great animosity between the shinobi from Sound and the girl from Sand, for reasons unknown to everyone else but the two. It was finally revealed later on when Tenten could no longer stand the tension between them and demanded for an explanation.

15. She merely laughed after they "enlightened" her on the situation, drawing a displeased and maybe hurt scowl from both her suitors.

16. The scowls were quickly replaced with shock as the leaf kunoichi suggested that they share her. "There's a simple solution," were her exact words, "Just share me."

17. Needless to say, Temari and Sasuke refused to share anything let alone her. But a simple "Please" and a smile from Tenten changed both their minds in an instance.

18. The peace only lasted about a week as they both fought for Tenten's attention, utterly confused when she exclaimed, "This wasn't what I meant!"

19. She promptly answered their unspoken questions by dragging them both into the nearest bedroom and showing them what she had meant by "sharing".

20. Kankuro was forced to move his room down the hall, telling them that they could keep his bed. "I don't want it anymore," he had told them after seeing the blood and other…unidentifiable stains on the sheets.

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hehe, poor Kankuro. but hey, they made a Tenten sandwich!


	10. Pride of a Tao

**Character/Pairing/Group**: Tenten  
**Disclaimer/Notes/Whatever**: A little crossover action going on. Shaman King and Naruto aren't mine, of course.

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The falling rain made a steady rhythm on the window panes, doing much to calm my frayed nerves. Lightning flashed through the darkened sky, briefly illuminating the otherwise pitch black room.

Fact 1: As a shinobi, my place in life and home would always reside in the shadows. It was where I was most comfortable.

My fingers trailed invisible lines across the black and white keys of the piano sitting before my eyes, remembering the sweet notes I used to play when I was just a child. My hand curled into a fist as I reminded myself that such days were gone.

Fact 2: The past was nothing but a memory for me. No use yearning for something that can't be found.

A soft knock on my door stole my attention away from admiring the cryptic shapes creeping along the wooden flooring. There was no wait for an invitation as the door creaked open, letting in a stream of light into the room from the hallway.

"I had hoped we would meet again under different circumstances, Tenten," she whispered, quietly closing the door behind her and engulfing us into darkness once again.

Fact 3: "So did I," was my response as she approached, my brows furrowing together in confusion as to why she was here in my room at such an odd hour of the night.

The soft and flimsy fabric of her robes trailed gently behind her like ribbons in the wind as they always did. She did well to represent the beauty and gracefulness of her sex, a prized bride for the ever dominant En Tao to hold close. I remembered how I used to admire how she would be the image of perfection. Now the mere sight of her simply disgusted me.

"Please, take out those dreaded things and let me see your beautiful eyes once more," she ordered in her maternal tone.

Fact 4: I did so obediently out of respect for my elders. The brown contacts I always wore were getting irritating anyways.

My own icy blue orbs glowed in the darkness as they watched her quietly in anticipation. It wasn't often that my Aunt Ran left the confines of my uncle's shadow to pursue her own personal matters, let alone matters of the clan. Her reasons for going through all this trouble to see a traitor like me was intriguing to say the least.

Fact 5: "What are you doing here Aunt Ran?" I asked, not caring for an answer, "I thought Uncle En gave orders that none were to see me until tomorrow."

She gave no reply, as expected. Her silent presence was a usual practice in the courtyards of the family estate. To expect anything to change during my absence was a hopeless dream on my part. Weary of her delicate demeanor, I turned my eyes to the piano once again.

Fact 6: "You used to love playing the piano, especially when Ren would accompany you on his violin," Ran said instead, indulging in her reminiscent thoughts, "Do you still play?"

"No," I replied emotionlessly, ignoring the small prickle of pain from the old memory, "I lost interest after…"

I left the sentence hanging and unfinished, trusting that she already knew the words that would complete it. Shifting my eyes away from the monochromatic scheme of the piano keys, I glanced at her to see her eyes filled with an unspoken sadness; no doubt the remnants of unshed emotions that had collected over the years during my absence.

Fact 7: After all, it had been at least ten years since I ran away from home; fled the cruelties of living a life under the rulings of the Tao dynasty.

"Save your tears for someone who can still feel sympathy for you," I spat out bitterly, "I, for one, have none after your husband tried to create an army out of mere children."

"He did what he thought was best," she stated defensively, quick to whip way the unshed tears threatening to mar her otherwise perfect face, "He is trying to restore the honor back to our family."

I scoffed at her naïve statement, appalled that she still believed in such a ridiculous notion. With a roll of my eyes, I wondered which one of us was the adult in the room: me or her.

Fact 8: "There's no honor left in the Tao clan to restore," I stated coldly over my shoulder, "It died thousands of years ago along with our trust in the world."

"You know the reasons we don't trust outsiders," was her stern retort at my blatant show of disrespect.

Fact 9: "Of course I know, I was taught nothing else," I snapped, slamming my fist into the hard wood of the piano bench, "Everyday I spent here I was reminded of how the imperial army and emperor betrayed us so many years ago."

She was a little taken aback by my outburst, unprepared for the sudden release of raw anger that had laid dormant in my psyche for so long. It was unintentional and I regretted it instantly. Aunt Ran was nothing but kind to me, despite her lack of participation when it came to dealing with her husband's methods of training.

"I'm sorry that I felt like the only way out for me was to run away," I whispered in a more calm tone, "But that doesn't matter now, does it?"

"Of course it does," the Tao matriarch protested softly.

Fact 10: "Deserters are to be punished for turning their back against the clan," I reminded her, "Whether I'm forgiven or not, my fate is sealed."

"You've never believed in fate before," she stated, a little shocked to hear the words leave my lips.

"Hm," I scoffed, smiling at the sarcastic irony, "Blame it on someone I knew who was consumed with his."

She was confused by the statement of course, oblivious to all those I had left behind in Konoha when I was taken back to this dungeon that was home to so many bitter members of the clan. But rather than dwelling on the thought longer than necessary, she brushed it aside as she always did.

"Punishment does not always include death," she said in an obvious but futile attempt to calm my nerves.

Fact 11: "This is a family of Shamans, Aunt Ran," was my somber response, "Death is the least of my concerns."

With frayed nerves, I turned away from the ebony and ivory keys in exchange for the blue tinted sky on the other side of the window glass, streaked with rivulets of water from the continual rain. Masked in the shadows of the storm, I let out a calming breath as I blinked away the tears trapped on the edge of my lashes. Smooth and slender fingers found there way to the bands in my hair, quickly unbinding my dark tresses from their ribbon-laced prisons.

Fact 12: "What sort of world are we living in when death is no longer feared?" the life-sized China doll asked rhetorically, her porcelain digits grazing soothingly against my scalp as she brushed the long curtain of my hair.

"Why would it matter to you?" I questioned softly in retort, "You don't live in it."

"Such hatred you harbor towards me," was Ran's reaction, a hint of scorn in the tone of her voice.

Without thinking, I reached back and grabbed a hold of the willowy curve of her wrists, startling her from her thoughtful daze. Glancing over the curve of my shoulder to face her, my brows furrowed with contained fury.

"Can you blame me?" I inquired evenly, stilling her movements with the intensity of my unnaturally icy blue eyes.

Fact 13: "No," she replied, her gaze dropping at the sheer truth, "I can't."

A spark of regret bloomed within me as I looked upon her, such a small and fragile looking creature compared to the confident kunoichis I was used to back in Konoha. With all my efforts to forget the past, I had neglected to realize the tragedy that was her story. And then it dawned on me, I could have easily been condemned to such a fate as hers and she knew it.

Fact 14: _Could that be the reason she never stepped in to stop him?_ I pondered curiously, _Did she show no compassion because she knew how awful the alternative choice was?_

Slowly and without consciousness I released my hold on her, allowing the quiet matriarch to continue with the task of brushing the smooth strands of my hair. And that was how we remained all night, long after the storm had passed until the first light of dawn broke over the horizon.

Fact 15: "Another sleepless night in the Tao mansion," I stated breathlessly to no one in particular, "Won't be having any more of that, will we?"

"Nothing will happen to you," the clan matriarch reasoned, more for her benefit than mine, "En would never hurt his family."

"Have already forgotten what he's done to his own son; your son?" I spat out, my hands curling up into fists at the memory, "He doesn't care who you are as long as he maintains his power over the family."

Fact 16: "En Tao prides himself in making examples of those who dare to defy him," I continued on, my voice remaining steady and even, "Are you hidden that far behind your mask that you can't see that?"

Ran made to speak out in protest to her defense when she was abruptly interrupted by a knock on the door. It slowly creaked open to reveal the golden eyes of my dear cousin Ren, his empty gaze resting upon me like lead anvils.

"It's time," were his only words, "Father wishes to see you."

"Is that all you have to say to me after all this time?" I inquired curiously.

"What's the point of words?" he asked impassively, the way his father had taught him to function, "Nothing I say will change what will happen."

Fact 17: "Even a dying man wishes for a last breath of comfort, Ren," was my cryptic response.

A flash of emotions streaked through his yellow orbs before quickly returning to the dark void they were accustomed to as I walked pass. Our footsteps echoed ominously against the marbled flooring as we made our way down the long corridor towards Uncle En's studies, Aunt Ran and cousin Ren forever by my side. I ignored the growing anxiety in my chest but could not stop the slight hesitation when I found myself standing in front of the doors of my doom.

Fact 18: "You're scared," Ran whispered in shock, her eyes widening in realization.

"Of course I'm scared," I admitted, "But I'll be damned if I let him see that."

"In all my years, I would have never guess you would turn out so much like…like…" she struggled to say.

Fact 19: "Like a Tao?" I finished for her, "Well I have; there are just some things you can't escape from, no matter how much you run from it."

She watched in silence as I step forward towards my destiny. The double doors leading into my uncle's den were as huge and imposing as I remembered them to be, perhaps even more so now because of what awaited me on the other side. But despite my fears and hesitation, I lifted my chin up and held my head high as I entered into the dark cavern beyond.

Fact 20: I was a Tao after all, and our family pride was the most treasured aspect of our character.

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Huh, never wrote one of these with dialogue before. What do you think?


	11. Winds of Change

**Character/Pairing/Group**: Temari/Tenten/Sasuke  
**Disclaimer/Notes/Whatever**: well of course it's not mine.

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The shower of metal rushed at me with amazing speed as her Rising Twin Dragon jutsu came into effect. But there was nothing for me to be concerned about. After all, I knew the key to their weakness. It was that knowledge that had given me the win when I was first faced with this situation so many months before.

Fact 1: A weapon mistress the little leaf-nin was and a weapon mistress she will remain, we all knew that.

I must admit that I smirk sometimes at how prideful she could be about it, especially after having her attacks constantly thrown back into her face. But despite the obvious disadvantages that she faces when sparring against me, the "Little Sprout", as Kankuro likes to call her, has shown great improvement.

Fact 2: I'm almost certain that one of these days she'll find a way to get past my wind attacks and finally be able to pin me with one of her kunais.

Reaching back to take out my oversized fan, I quickly unfolded it and maneuvered to thwart her efforts in one smooth motion. A light breeze flowed back at me as most of the air was used to send the barrage of weapons back to their owner. Cursing to herself, Tenten jumped out of the way of the flying arsenal as she had done several times before.

Fact 3: Unfortunately for her, she won't be defeating me today.

A scoff to my right informs me of the ever moody Uchiha, telling me that he finally decided to leave the confines of his room. Why he chose to come here of all places after defecting from Sound is a mystery, but we don't question those thoughts here. Kami knows my family has our own share of secrets.

Fact 4: I'm not sure what he was able to learn during his short stay in Otogakure but I'm almost certain Sasuke knows about the story of how Gaara became the vessel for Shukaku's wandering spirit.

I ignored his scrutinous eye for the moment while Tenten brushed the sand off of her training clothes, feeling a small ping of annoyance when I caught the black swirls spinning within the Uchiha's eyes as he watched her movements. I dropped my large and heavy tessen loudly on the ground, catching Sasuke's attention like I hope it would. His eyes darted to me and his brows furrowed in confusion just in time to see me glare back at him in warning.

Fact 5: Sure, we had agreed to share the kunoichi for her sake, but I couldn't deny that I was still a little possessive of what was originally mine.

He looked a little puzzled at first, taking a moment to mull over anything that could have offended me. It finally dawned on him what message I was trying to send when his eyes trailed back over to the unsuspecting Tenten as she quietly picked up her "toys", placing them neatly back into her scrolls.

Fact 6: Though she was a bit rough around the edges, the Little Sprout was a bit picky and sentimental about the strangest things.

I waited expectedly for a challenging gesture from the younger Uchiha heir, but what I got instead was an arrogant smirk. My eyes narrowed with suspicion at the act, the gears in my mind working overtime to figure out what he could be up to. Unimpressed by my growing irritation, he turned towards Tenten once again, entranced with her movements as she approached.

Fact 7: Her presence always demanded attention; that I knew all too well. How her entire village could easily overlook and forget the kunoichi was the real mystery.

Nodding her greetings to the watchful Uchiha, she habitually took her place beside me. And with all the sweat and grime of the day still clinging to her lithe form, the younger girl leaned in for a quick peck on the cheek. It was fleeting and chaste, a great contrast to the first one we shared.

Fact 8: Then again she had been eager and energetic then, not a speck of weariness from training had marred her porcelain skin that day.

But whatever bliss I had managed to gather at that small gesture was immediately blown away when she proceeded to take her place beside Sasuke and gave him a similar kiss on his cheek. As she did so, his eyes met with my own and with it the challenge that had been delayed before.

Fact 9: Despite the promise we made to her a few weeks ago about having a truce, the both of us knew that this was a war for the Little Sprout's affections.

Oblivious to it all, Tenten rushed inside, probably to grab a glass of water after hours of training under the blazing hot sun of Suna, leaving the two of us alone to finally give voice to our growing animosity. At least in that, we had agreed.

Fact 10: Tenten couldn't find out that we had blatantly disregarded the promise we had made to her. The possible outcome was too devastating to consider.

"What are you doing out here?" I asked, breaking the tense silence, "We agreed that today would be my time with her."

Rather than respond immediately, the younger shinobi turned his head to the horizon, watching as the setting sun slowly disappeared under the desert sand.

Fact 11: "The only thing we agreed to was to share her, for her sake of course," Sasuke finally said in correction, "It was only understood that we'd take turns spending time with her."

"So why the hell are you out here mooching in on my turn?" I questioned, annoyed at his casual attitude.

"You should know by now, the only obligation I hold are those to myself," he replied smugly, "I thought you were smarter than that."

"What I know is that she was mine first," I grounded out.

Fact 12: "And yet it was her idea to share," the younger shinobi pointed out, "You must be doing something wrong for her to suggest that."

My mouth snapped shut at the accusation, unable to quickly come back with my usual biting remark. It was a low blow to my pride to even imply that the Little Sprout had doubts in our relationship, especially when I thought that things were going so well. From what little I knew of him, it was uncharacteristic of the Uchiha to fight back so hard and bitterly. But as the anger boiled up inside of my soul, I couldn't help but scoff at the thought of my next statement.

Fact 13: "I'm starting to think that 'Snake Lord' rubbed off on you more than you'd like," I commented loud enough for him to hear.

I smirked at the shift in his demeanor, swiftly changing from the confident calm he held to before to the annoyed irritation that came with a scornful and stinging truth. I could see the flames of rage in his eyes as he stared back at me. But rather than lash out, he simply nodded, giving recognition to my equal position in this game of ours.

"Of all the kunoichis you have at your disposal, why are you so adamant on getting her?" I asked curiously, returning to our civil conversation.

Fact 14: "Because you don't let a girl like that get away so easily," he added on a more somber note, "You have to be willing to fight for her."

"A girl like that?" I questioned, curiously raising a thin brow.

"Someone who will look past your faults," he elaborated, "Who's willing to forgive you for all the mistakes you made no matter how horrible and idiotic they were."

I nodded in agreement to his statement, understanding fully what he meant. It was no secret that Tenten had a forgiving heart. After all, I had nearly killed her during our match in the Chuunin Exam and had aided in the attempted destruction of her village. And yet here she was, attempting to share a relationship with me.

Fact 15: But a little part of me couldn't help but wonder if that was very kind on her part, or very naïve.

"Which is why you should just give up now before someone gets hurt," he added bitterly.

"The only one that will be getting hurt is you when she leaves your sorry ass," I countered confidently.

At that he turned to face me, staring into the depths of my eyes challengingly. We stood there for what seemed like hours just staring into each other's eyes, possibly trying to read the other's soul and intention. But despite the grudge I held against him for even taking the Little Sprout's attention away from me, there was a small spark of respect. Had the circumstances been different I might have considered him a worthy companion.

Fact 16: He was going after what he desired, unlike many who simply pined and wallowed in self pity for the things they didn't have.

"When I suggested that the two of you share me, this wasn't what I meant," she stated, the sound of her voice startling us from our staring contest.

Simultaneously, the Uchiha and I turned towards the sound of her familiar voice, a bit hesitant at the sharp tone that she took. Tenten's arms were crossed over her chest while her foot tapped impatiently on the wooden boards of the porch. It was an image you dreaded seeing as a child because it usually meant that you were in trouble.

Fact 17: This time was no different. And as much as I hated to admit it, seeing her maintain an eerily calm exterior unnerved me.

Finding us unresponsive to her comment, she sighed in annoyance before suddenly taking hold of each of our hand and pulling us both into the house. I only had time to mumble a few incoherent words before I was shoved into a nearby room, stumbling to stay on my feet as Sasuke faltered in after me.

Fact 18: "Since you two are a little too dense to know what 'sharing' means, I'll just have to show you," she grumbled, closing and locking the door behind her, "I'm sure Kankuro won't mind if we borrow his room for a while."

Confused at what the mistress of steel had in store for us, we both decided to keep our distance from her for the time being. That proved to be a defective plan as we both unexpectedly bumped into the bed and fell sprawled across the mattress. She wasted little time diving in, engaging me in an intense lip-lock of…tantalizing proportions. She brushed her cool knuckles across my cheek gently before letting it rest on the curve of my shoulder. And just as quickly her lips were gone, leaving me wanting more as I worked to unclasp the bindings on her shirt.

Fact 19: "Care to join us, Sasuke?" she questioned suggestively, stifling a moan when I started nipping at her neck, "This isn't a spectator's sport."

There was no word of reply, but knew that the Uchiha had responded when I felt her reach behind me to pull the willing shinobi into our foreplay. I could feel the heat of his body on my back, and heard the soft smacking as their lips wrestled for dominance over my shoulder. With a little nudging from Tenten his hand was on me, pulling up the hem of my training outfit and caressing my thigh with a fiery passion that would have scorched me had I not been burning as well.

"Let the games begin," she whispered in both our ears when her kiss with Sasuke had ended, leaving both gasping for air. I could practically hear the smirk on her face.

Fact 20: Perhaps the Little Sprout wasn't as little as I first thought her to be.

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pfft! They're fighting over who owns Tenten...TENTEN OWNS ALL! -winky-


	12. Three of a Kind

**Character/Pairing/Group**: Gaara/Tenten/Sasuke  
**Disclaimer/Notes/Whatever**: well of course it's not mine.

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1. Sasuke met Tenten at the young age of seven when their parents became the closest of friends. They fought like cats and dogs as all children their age did. But though the two had a fickle friendship, there was no doubt that both would risk their lives for the other.

2. The two met Gaara a while later when his father came to Konoha on business. By special request from the Matriarch of the Uchiha clan, both were enlisted to watch after the young boy from Sand while the adults delegated.

3. It was only minutes after when a group of troublemakers approached them with the intent of hurting the son of the Kazekage that the demon residing within the young boy was revealed.

4. Confused as to why the knowledge didn't discourage them from wanting to be his friend, Gaara laid awake for some time in thought, sandwiched between their two sleeping forms before slipping into peaceful slumber himself.

5. Gaara had only cried once in his young life. That was the night he witnessed the brutal killing of Tenten's family and the near genocide of the Uchiha clan. Tenten and Sasuke would have been part of the death toll had he (or rather Shukaku) not saved them from the wrath of the murderous clan prodigy.

6. Tenten only allowed herself to cry twice in her young life. Once when she had to face the reality that her parents were gone, and again when Sasuke failed to tell the village that Gaara wasn't the one who killed off his family. Eventually it was revealed that Itachi was the culprit, but by that time the damage on their friendship had already been done.

7. Sasuke never cried in his young life, especially when Gaara and Tenten left his side. If he learned anything from Itachi's betrayal, it was that no one could be trusted. He did however find an aching in his heart every time he'd see a full moon like the one that was out their last night together.

8. The three didn't see each other again until their first Chuunin Exam, each treating the others as complete strangers in the presence of the other competitors. It was just as well, because the pain would have been too much when Gaara aided in the attack on the Leaf Village and Sasuke left for Sound.

9. Gaara's change of heart towards Lee had been the deciding factor in Sasuke's decision to return to Konoha. If a cold-hearted monster like what the sand-nin had become could be reformed, then why not a dark avenger?

10. Sasuke's isolation after his return from Otogakure had been the deciding factor in Tenten's decision to start training with the Uchiha heir. She knew what a lonely soul could do to the mental stability of an already crazed mind. Friendships couldn't be mended in a day (or night as the case was), but at least it was a start.

11. Tenten's forgiveness of the former missing-nin had been the deciding factor in Gaara decision to take back his control from the demonic sand priest. But he would need to call upon Sasuke and Tenten through a promise they had made to him long ago in order to achieve this.

12. Both had agreed to Gaara's request for aid before he even had a chance to explain the situation. "After all, a shinobi's word is stronger than any broken ties we have." But by the end of their journey, they had managed to rebuild the shattered pieces of their long forgotten friendship.

13. When war broke out among the shinobi villages, their friendship was put on hold while Gaara returned to Sunagakure to take care of his Kazekage duties. Sasuke dealt with the loss by disappearing on a mysterious journey. Tenten dealt with the loss by going to the Sand Village to help Gaara.

14. Their friendship was forced to change after Gaara and Tenten started having a physical relationship during the kunoichi's stay in Hidden Sand.

15. It become all the more complicated when Sasuke resurfaced and decided to add his feelings for both into the mix.

16. By that time, relations between the weapon specialist and sand manipulator had escalated to something much more than just temptations of the flesh. But after long debate, all three agreed that they were content with sharing each other.

17. Sasuke suggested that they change the agreement when it was discovered that Tenten was carrying Gaara's child. Both Tenten and Gaara refused and persistently tried to convince the Uchiha heir to reconsider until he finally caved.

18. The three were never as happy as during those eight and a half months (the baby came a little earlier than expected) that Tenten was "with child".

19. Unfortunately, by the time the baby was born, Gaara was on his deathbed from a mortal wound received in battle. Even then he never regretted lessening the power and control Shukaku had on him.

20. Sasuke and Tenten raised the child as their own, simply known as "Junior" to everyone else. But in the privacy of their own home, he was always called by his real name: Gaara.

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-tear- Poor Gaara. -cries-


	13. Lost Souls

**Character/Pairing/Group**: Gaara/Tenten/Sasuke  
**Disclaimer/Notes/Whatever**: well of course it's not mine.

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Sighing restlessly, he opened his jaded orbs and welcomed the familiar shadows of his world. The face of the moon shed its light through the window, illuminating all the features of the room. A pale hand reached up to wipe away what little traces of sleep he had managed to gather with a few hours of darkened dreams, not the least bit annoyed that he had once again failed to get enough.

Fact 1: After so many years without sleep, it was always hard for Gaara to have an entire night of it.

The mattress noticeably shifted from his movements despite his efforts to leave the other occupants of the bed undisturbed. The corner of his eye twitched when the springs squeaked softly in protest of his movements. Standing in the darkness, young sand shinobi watched carefully for any signs that he had awoken his two companions.

Fact 2: Very well-trained in the ways of the ninja, they were extremely light sleepers. After all, a shinobi should be alert at all times.

The girl remained sleeping motionless on her side among the disheveled sheets, loose strands of hair branching out across the ivory pillows. The boy slumbered peacefully beside the kunoichi, one naked arm draped over her in a protective manner, the dark polish freshly painted on his nails reflecting the light of the moon.

Fact 3: It always amazed him how innocent and pure they could look when he knew that their hands had killed thousands in this war alone.

Shaking such thoughts away, the sand-nin looked upon them once more to insure they remained unconscious to what he was doing. Satisfied with finding both Tenten and Sasuke still in the world of dreams, Gaara proceeded with his plan. The Kazekage silently padded across the marbled floor, picking up discarded articles of clothing along the way.

Fact 4: He had been caught off guard last night, having been ambushed and stripped by the pair the moment he had stepped into the private chamber.

A contented smirk graced his features as memories from their nightly activities resurfaced. All three considered to be dedicated and strong-willed, the passion of their encounters always seemed endless. He noted that last night's show had been particularly more wild and untamed than usual.

Fact 5: Let it never be said that Tenten wasn't a genius in her own right. The things she managed to make Sasuke do…

Quickly willing away the images before they changed his mind, Gaara tip-toed over to the ancient dresser located on the other side of the room. Retrieving the necessary items from the drawers, he paused for a moment in contemplation before returning to stand beside the bed once more.

Fact 6: Prone to random bouts of nostalgia since their sorted relationship started, the leader of Suna wanted to watch his leaf-nins sleep one last time before he left.

Laying his clean set of clothing at the foot of the bed, Gaara carefully kneeled down beside the kunoichi's peaceful face as her skin glowed under the lunar rays. With little thought on the risks, he slowly and gently brushed away the stray hairs that covered her face.

Fact 7: Secretly enamored by her dark tresses, he would use any reason to feel them between his fingers.

Unfortunately, that small indulgence had cost him his plan as Tenten started stirring from her slumber. Quickly realizing the loss of heat that usually surrounded her, the kunoichi opened her eyes in alarm. Knowing how she would react to his missing presence, the young Kazekage silently cupped her face in assurance.

Fact 8: Orphaned at a young age, he knew of the quiet fears that would often plague her thoughts; silent dreads of being abandoned and left alone again.

Her hand snaked up to touch his, relishing the chilled digits as they were sandwiched between her own. She kissed the inside of his palm lovingly, wanting so desperately to warm them up, to protect them from the cold desert night.

Fact 9: She would have done anything to delay the inevitable.

But as the thought of pulling him back into bed crossed her mind, his hand slipped from her grasp to rest briefly on the sheets. Using it as leverage, Gaara made to stand up and continue with his routine. He stopped though when he felt the kunoichi grab hold of his hand once more.

Fact 10: It felt as if the weight of the world rested on her hand.

"Don't go," she called breathlessly, more of a request than an order.

"You know I have to," Gaara mumbled to her, making no attempt to leave.

Tenten stared up at him dejectedly, looking as if she would break down then and there. But she was stronger than that. The fire and determination burning in her eyes proved it.

"He's right," Sasuke agreed in hopes of containing her fiery resolve, sitting up from where he laid beside her on the bed, "Gaara is the Kazekage of Sunagakure and he has obligations to his village."

Fact 11: As one of the remaining heirs to a dying clan, Sasuke was familiar with obligations.

"What about his obligations to us?" she protested, sitting up as well now that the Uchiha's weight no longer restricted her movements, "Do we have no say in what you do?"

"I never knew you to be the selfish type," the Sharingan user commented with a smirk, turning her head to face him.

"I never knew you to be the type to give up so easily," Tenten countered coldly.

Fact 12: "Of course you have a say in what I do," Gaara replied evenly to stop their argument before it began, finally moving his hand so that it rested on the slight curve of her belly, "Do you not understand that I do this for you…and this child?"

"But if you go, you could die," the kunoichi stated, worry laced with her words.

"If he doesn't go, we could all die," Sasuke countered in an attempt to help his comrade, "Hidden Rock has been slowly picking at the borders of Wind Country and without Gaara, they could breach the defenses any day now."

"I don't care," Tenten snapped, her brows furrowing angrily, "I will not have this child grow up without its father."

Letting out a tired sigh, Gaara looked to Sasuke for some support only to find him pinching the bridge of his nose to relieve the pressure building in his head at the old subject.

Fact 13: It was an argument they had every time either one of them were called out on a mission, a testament to Tenten's agitation from being on maternity leave for so long and unable to fight by their side while they risked their lives.

"You do this every time we get a mission," the Uchiha stated, making his annoyance known, "How often are we going to have this conversation?"

"As often as necessary," the kunoichi snapped.

"Tenten, I am a shinobi and once more the Kazekage of Hidden Sand," the sand-nin stated patiently, "Death comes with the position, you know this."

Fact 14: "…Yeah," the kunoichi responded somberly, lowering her eyes to stare at her lap, "I know."

"You would risk your life for a few more days together, that I understand," he continued, placing a hand on her growing belly once more, "But would you risk the life of this child?"

Fact 15: "…No," she replied softly.

"Then please, let us do our job," Gaara said, lifting her chin up so she would look him in the eyes, "Let me be the Kazekage so that I may…protect my precious peoples."

"You've been hanging around the dobe too much," Sasuke commented jokingly, "You're starting to talk like him."

"…I'm sorry," came Tenten's whispered apology after chuckling softly at the Uchihas attempt to lighten the mood.

Fact 16: Ever since he returned from his soul-searching journey, there had been a noticeable change in the once brooding prince of darkness.

"It's fine," came Gaara's soft statement as he made to stand up once more, "But I should prepare to go now."

"Wait, please stay," Tenten quietly protested, grabbing hold of his hand once more, "At least a little while longer?"

The Kazekage seemed hesitant to answer at first, having long forgotten his clothes sitting at the foot of the bed as the light of the moon streamed through the window behind him.

Fact 17: It was times like those, in perfect shadow, where his porcelain was most prominate, seeming to glow in the deep night hours.

"Don't go yet?" the kunoichi restated with inquiry, changing the demand to sound more like a request.

Again he looked to the quiet Uchiha sitting beside her in hopes of finding some sort of aid for the situation. But unlike before, he found none.

"Sorry, Gaara," Sasuke stated with a shrug of his shoulders, "On this, I'm going to have to agree with her."

"…Traitor," the young Kazekage scoffed.

Fact 18: "Well…yeah," the Uchiha responded with a playful smirk, his fingers brushing over the curse seal given to him by Orochimaru, "You should know that by now."

Rather than respond verbally to his jest, Gaara simply narrowed his eyes at the dark haired shinobi. The corners of his lips curled slightly in such a way that it would have been considered a smirk had it been more pronounced. Finding him self loosing this battle quickly, he let out a sigh before moving to settle in between his two bed-mates, placing an arm around each.

Fact 19: Despite Tenten's condition they had always found comfort in this arrangement ever since their younger days: Gaara in the middle and surrounded by his two protectors.

And as Tenten and Sasuke joined together in placing their hands over his heart, all thoughts of the mission and the possible outcome left his mind. Death could wait for this small moment of peace. Gaara had no concept of Heaven or Hell, couldn't really care less about it actually. As far as he was concerned, this was all that he needed…all that he could ever ask for.

Fact 20: He had found a place where lost souls could be mended…where happiness could be found once again. And anything that he came across in the afterlife would or could never compare to it.

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-sighs- I love this threesome.


End file.
